What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization, or more commonly known as just SEO, sets the rules for optimizing the website of a company or a business so that it can attain higher rankings in the organic results of search engines, such as Google.
It is one of the best ways in which a website’s quality can be increased by making it friendlier, faster, and easier to navigate the website.
SEO is made up of various elements, and it is important to not only know what they are, but also how they work.
- Keywords – which must be well-researched, carefully chosen, and judiciously used to ensure that content is effective. These include words and phrases with high search rates which prospects use to find online content.
- Content – is the vehicle used to reach and engage audiences such as web page content, videos, blogs, infographics, and more.
- Off-page SEO – which is external optimization through backlink building such as guest blogging, creation of lots of infographics to be shared, and the mention of influencers in content.
- Local SEO – which is becoming increasingly important as more people make use of mobile devices.
- Search Engine Marketing – which involves paid marketing efforts and includes native ads, Google AdWords, social media ads, and more.
What is the importance of SEO?
One of the most vital functions of SEO concerns the increased visibility of a company or business. The higher that a company or business ranks on a search engine result page, or SERP, the more likely prospects are to see it and click through the website.
SEO helps to increase web traffic and helps with authority pertaining to the trustworthiness, quality, relevancy, and offering of a website. SEO, in addition is critical to improve the usability of a website to create a seamless, positive customer experience.
SEO in the African context – its importance and uses
There has been a substantial increase in the use for SEO in Africa as a whole than there has been in previous years. More businesses across the great expanse in Africa are making use of SEO and subsequently reaping the benefits thereof.
When considering that Covid-19 is still classified as a pandemic, more businesses, with the phased reopening of economies, are relying on SEO to boost various factors to enable companies to get exposure and business through their website content.
Some of the reasons why SEO has exploded in Africa include some of the following:
1. It is Affordable
When looking at marketing initiatives for businesses, it seems to cost a lot more than it will ever help a business make back in actual profit, but with SEO, it is a more effective and affordable technique.
Small company owners and start-ups often do not have the capital that it takes to make use of marketing initiatives, but by using SEO, it is still possible for such companies to be noticed, and to bring in more business and build capital steadily.
2. It helps with traffic on websites
There are more people today that are making use of search engines than in previous years. More people are searching keywords to look for a specific product or service, and SEO is the most effective method of bringing both organic and new traffic to websites.
SEO helps to have companies and keywords rank higher in search engines. Companies can make use of analytic tools to follow up on the traffic for a website to compare months where SEO was not used with those where SEO was used to see the difference.
3. Aids in finding new clientele
Businesses are not set to grow by maintaining only its existing clients and finding new customers is essential in business growth and the success of a business.
The long-term survival of a company relies on a constant influx of new clients while maintaining its client base, and with SEO targeting certain audiences, it ensures a steady influx to a certain website.
4. It is a long-term investment
As with marketing initiatives, it will not be possible to notice any immediate distinctive differences, but when measuring performance over a few months and years, it will be possible to see the difference that SEO has made for a business.
It is a long-term investment, when maintained, ensures long-term visibility for a business or company.
Final Thoughts
With businesses pulling in all efforts to be noticed more, African companies and businesses are realizing the importance and the benefits associated with making use of SEO.
Through SEO, companies that were previously near-invisible to the eye are able to rank much higher as prospective customers search for specific products and services through popular search engines such as Google.
This has provided these companies, especially those in developed countries, with more exposure than they would have gotten while using conventional marketing efforts.
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